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You are here: Home / Language / What is the Difference Between an Epitaph and a Cenotaph and Where Did the Words Come From?

What is the Difference Between an Epitaph and a Cenotaph and Where Did the Words Come From?

July 26, 2020 by Karen Hill

When we gather at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day it is because a cenotaph is a monument inscribed to honor the dead but which does not contain any remains.

An epitaph is inscribed on the tombstone above a grave.

Both words and concepts are Greek in origin.

Today, the simplest epitaphs are for Catholic clergy.

Seven crosses for a bishop, five for a priest, and one for parishioners.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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